Nora's Development in A Doll's House Essay

A Dolls House

In Act One, Mrs. Linde describes Nora as a child. Is this assessment of Noras state of development valid?

In Act One Nora is treated like a doll and a child by her husband. He refers to her with diminutive and animal names quite often, like adults talking to children. Is that my skylark twittering out there? Is that my squirrel rustling? By treating her like this he shows his power over her. He calls her attention by saying that she is spending too much money, Has my little squander-bird been overspending again? And she replies like a teenager saying that now they can because he has a new job. However she does not think that he has not already gotten his salary and they should be careful with money. Her husband is quite narrow-mindedness as he believes that spending money careless is a woman attitude. By doing that he shows his belief that a woman should behave in a proper way and be concerned, only, with the house, children and him. He tells her off, but as soon as she demonstrates her sadness like a baby does, he then gives her what she wants. With this attitude he shows us his control over Nora. She also behaves as a child; as she shows a childish excitement when showing to her husband what she has bought for Christmas and even more, when she asks for her present Oh yes, Torvald dear, please! Please! We cannot expect other attitude from Nora but as a woman who depends on her husband and is there to play a role as beautiful and is not able to do other thing but take care of the house, children and spend money with unnecessary stuff. The evidence of Nora relationship with her husband shows us her childish and self-centered character and he is the one to blame as he really does not want anything but this.

Act one continues and we can see the reflection of Noras childish and self-centered behaviour when she is talking to Mrs. Linde, a friend she has not seeing for a long period. As soon as Mrs. Linde arrives to Noras house she greets her by first not even remembering who she was. She then, without even willing to know about her friend who she has not seen for nine years, starts talking about how happy her life has been and how her children are doing so well. For a quick moment Nora tries to make her friend to feel comfortable, but immediately after she is so insensitive that she describes Mrs. Linde as pale, thinner and old. She recognizes that she has being thoughtless, nevertheless continues showing her childlike character when she tells Mrs. Linde that she read in the papers about her husbands death but did not contact her in all those three years to give her a support. Noras concern to her friends soreness is just superficial. She does not think before talking and keeps going with her insensitivity. She talks about her husband new job and how wealthy they will be. Mrs Linde, like Torvald says how childish she still is for she only thinks of money and is a spendthrift. Nora tries to explain that they have gone through a hard time with money, but forgets to ask how Mrs Linde is. She does not stop talking about herself. Finally she finds out that her friend is going through a hard time and promises she will ask her husband to help her.

Mrs. Linde description of Nora as a child is absolutely valid. Torvald, Noras husband treats her as a doll and she behaves as such. She is always beautiful and wonderful for him. She looks after the house, the children and makes sure everything is perfect for her husband. She is always careful with her words when she is talking to him, so she can take from him whatever she wants. She can only think of herself and shows little interest in her friend problem. Although she has done everything for her husband to go though his sickness, she has in fact done that in her own interest, for she needs someone to take care of her. Her friend, Mrs. Linde is much more realistic as she learned from her experiences, after her husbands death. For Nora it is easier to act as a child and to be selfish, so she does not have to worry about anything and her husband contributes with that, as this is what he really expects from a woman.